Miramar Marines recount response to F-35B crash – NBC 7 San Diego

The Marines who responded when an F-35B fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar are describing how their specialized training kicked in as they confronted a fire on the aircraft and in the surrounding brush.

They are members of MCAS Miramar’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting team, known as ARFF. The Marines are also firefighters who focus on emergencies on the flightline.

A Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet crashed at MCAS Miramar after the pilot safely ejected. The pilot suffered non-life-threatening injuries. NBC 7’s Shandel Menezes reports.

“Not many people know we even exist. For those who do, in our very small community, we’re very proud of who we are and what we do,” said Cpl. Israel DeLeon, who served as the incident safety officer the day the jet crashed.

There are fewer than 800 ARFF Marines throughout the Marine Corps, including 38 at MCAS Miramar.

“I mean, how often do you get to be a firefighter and a marine?” said Gunnery Sgt. Steve Calzada, the day-of-incident commander.

Master Sgt. Quay Nims, Fire Chief for ARFF at MCAS Miramar, said the job can be dangerous.

“Because when it’s somebody’s worst day,” Nims said, “that’s the day we go to work.”

That training was put into action when an F-35B, one of the most advanced fighter jets in the Marine Corps, crashed on-base at Miramar on Jul. 31. The pilot ejected prior to the crash and was taken to the hospital, before the downed jet sparked a fire in the surrounding brush. There are no updates on the pilot’s condition, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

“I guess when I walked out the building and I saw everything that was happening, that was pretty much when it was just like, ‘ok, here we go,” Calzada said.

The ARFF building sits directly on the flightline. When the team receives a call, lights indicate what type of incident the Marines are facing. The F-35B crash was classified as a mishap, but many of the Marines did not initially realize how serious the situation would be.

“We never know when we’re going to have a training call or a real call, so when we hear our tones go off and we come out and actually see smoke, it’s more just like locking in,” DeLeon said.

All of Miramar’s ARFF Marines were called in for the response. The base gave the team blanket clearance, temporarily shutting down the airfield and allowing the firefighters to do what they needed to do.

“Who’s where, what do we got, then it’s kind of like going through the steps. What are first steps, you know, life safety, protect property. That’s pretty much our two main goals, so right off the get go that’s what we’re worried about” Calzada said.

An aircraft fire presents different concerns from a standard firefighting response, including potential hazards involving chemicals and fuel. Nims said the Marines constantly study aircraft and their components to prepare for those emergencies.

“My junior Marines, they study constantly, day in and day out, to learn exactly what part of the aircraft is made out of what component, so they know what to do when the time comes,” Nims said.

None of Miramar’s ARFF Marines were hurt during the response. The team was able to get the situation under control within a few hours, with the surrounding community watching an often overlooked team.

“I’m very proud. This is weird to say on TV, but during the debrief I teared a little bit for how proud I was of my Marines,” Nims said.

For DeLeon, the teamwork displayed during the emergency is something he expects to remember.

“All of my Marines did their job almost perfectly, all of our junior Marines did a phenomenal job,” DeLeon said.

“From the time we got the call to the time we got back, I feel like it was like a once in a lifetime experience,” Calzada said.

Despite how practiced the response appeared, Miramar’s ARFF unit has a relatively new team. Even Marines who have been there for several years have dealt with only one or two incidents of this magnitude.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.